
Russia’s 47-Year Lunar Mission Ends in Moon Crash
Russia’s first moon mission in 47 years ended in failure as its Luna-25 spacecraft spun out of control and crashed into the moon. This incident highlighted the decline of Russia’s space program since its Cold War heyday. The state space corporation, Roskosmos, reported losing contact with the craft during its preparation for pre-landing orbit. A soft landing was planned, but the craft moved into an unpredictable orbit and eventually collided with the moon’s surface. A commission was established to investigate the reasons for the loss.